The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-02

Why the bali curves. He tells how
the Eoglish cricketers witnessed A
baseball game In Philadelphia, but
expressed their unbelisf in ball cury.
ing In mid air. They could rnder-
stand how II curved II 1t touched the
ground, but as II bad equal pressure
oil round, and as 1t touched nothing
substantial, they disbelieved in any
curve. They were mistaken in think.
ing that the ball touched nothing sub.
etantisl alter 1t left the pitchers hand.
The ball touches something very sub.
staDtial, although to the ordinary eye
invisible. This Is the cushion If com.
pressed air that the ball pushes ahead
Of it,
The captain OF the cricket club was
invited 10 take baseball bat aud tIy
10 bit tie ball. Thirteen balls D. ssed
him, each one Of which he strnck at,
but not one OF which he hit. When at
last he did hat ball, be did 30 by
striking where he thought the bail
wasn't, and that scratch hit, hs admit.
ted, was purely by scciden'. Tia;
cricketer now believes In baseball
curves.
Even a pitcher can give very little
reason for his puzzling curves. he
will tell you how he does it, but the
why and wherefore he does not trouble
his head about. For instance, here ia
pitchers description OF row he
throws the drop ball:
Il got my q gers we'll around the
ball hook my two fret fingers right
into it--no, tir--that feeling around
the ball before It Is thrown IL not for
show-we have to be mighty sure
about our holt every time. swing
back my arm, aud then give II a sort
oil overhead motion, the baud coming
quickly forward level with the top OF
my head, then l bring the forearm
AID hand down and forward with
oil the force | have, and Just before
let 20 the ball i bring the wrist sharp
down, and let toe ball roll of under
my two first fngers. That gives The
hall the twirl, and II II Is rightly done
that ball will drop before ii gets to the
striker in way that will make his
head swim. Why2 Oh, don't know,
/ Only know IL doee, ,and II there is
any other way TO do It, l would like to
know how"
Now, here is the wsy, according tn
professor in the Windsor Iii III
School, who has given a good deal Of
thought to the subj CT, Toe txplsna.
ton differs from that OF Prof Proc or
or any other that has yet besn placed
before the puo 10.
"rhe speed of the baseball Ia often
likened to tina, Of lightning" remarked
the high Gchool man, "and Ia me z x.
zig motion Of q Il Ssh OF lightning Is
the explanation oi ths baseball curve.
The electric spark goes through the
air With such velocity that IL pushes
ahead Of 1t ball Of compressed air.
This ball gradually develops more and
more resistance until the soark seeks
relief, which IL oh, aims by filing Of ut
q tsngen, and rikins IL courss again
Then another ball Of compressed All
results and the sans thing happens
asain. Thus We see the sEsg courst
Of lightning fash through thu
air. Nov by the time 9
baseball, driven with such ire
mendous force, reaches to within .
lev feet Of the striker II Is pressing
a cusbiou OF compressed air that Il
every moment more d fiicult TO fore,
its way ssainst. II the pitcher ha,
given roll to the ball be;ides forward
momentum, the instant the pressure
Of that compressed air becomes strone
enough that ball vii roll on II as II
would on board In whichever diIec
ton the pitcher has given the motion
ar1und lie axis. For example, take
the case OF the drop bal air. ady men
toned. The pitcher, IN bringing do sn
his wrist at the moment b. fore d ,liv
ering the bail, let's toe bali roll on
from under his hsnd; the ball has /,
rota y motion that will cause II TO rol
dowswud the moment n com
pressed air gets palpabe enough for 4
to roll against. This axis Of this revo
luton 4 parallel with the eatth's sur
face. II hs < YES it revolution tina
Is around an axis perpendicular "a
the earth's surfare, then II viii
be an inehoot or an outshoot Just M
no gives the rotary mo lon one way OF
the other. Tue same principle gov
erne any mobilization a the inBhuo
or ouishoot or drop ball. Just take I
bs In your fingers aud rive II a elov
fo.aIy motion without lettirg II oui
VI your hand. Doing this, bring II q
any ut opposing surface, snd noiic'
by continuing the rotary motion viii
tbs ball In your finger when direction
the roll sonld Cause II 10 take whsr
II pre,sss against the opp ,eiog suTfac :
and ton fir that fiat surisce im ,sin,
a bulk Of compressed air, and yor
| uill uuda,atavd tha lola thinaU